There and back again: From applied research to academic entrepreneurship
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Academic entrepreneurs can have a real impact on society. Science and technology are nowdays critical in our efforts to tackle the most urgent societal challenges, be it climate change, security, or public health. But we need more targeted efforts to turn academic discoveries into an everyday reality and a real product with societal impact. Entrepreneurship requires self-conviction, skill, luck, resilience and funding (just like scientific research) but before anything else, there needs to be passion and purpose. As scientists all we can really do is ask the questions to seek answers. As Innovators we take those answers and ideas and turn them into a product. As academic entrepreneurs we are uniquely empowered to make a small dent in the universe by "making the world a better place" through science and science-based tools.